The mistake
by Goliith
Summary: When Sasuke beat Naruto, Naruto became increasingly paranoid, to the point that it was only a matter of time that something bad would happen, well that time has come, will he ever be able to live with his mistake?


Hey everyone, been quite a long time right? Sorry about that. The reason I haven't been updating much is because of all these Idea's that keep popping into my head for new fics, and they don't go away until I put the damn things down, so I've written A LOT of stories, this is one of them, I'm updating them all on here because my friends said they were good, so I figured you guys might want some meat to hold you over until I can work on **Harsh Existence **and **Path of the Hanyou.**

Right-o, hope you enjoy the fic, check out my profile, there's like 10 others lol

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Ever since the day Sasuke betrayed Konoha, no, betrayed Naruto, and attempted to kill him Naruto became overly cautious and paranoid, he stopped trusting the majority of people in the village, and he jumped at the slightest noises, and always had a Kunai at the ready. It was only a matter of time before something bad happened, and it was a horrible case of bad luck that it happened when it did.

It had been six months since Sasuke left, and Naruto and Sakura were out on a C-rank mission with Kakashi. Naruto had gone off into the woods to be alone for a while, like he always did since Sasuke left, but this morning was different, for some reason Sakura was compelled to follow him, she, like everyone else, had seen what Sasuke's betrayal did to him, and it hurt to see Naruto like that.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Naruto had been out in the forest for about forty minutes, attempting to enjoy the serene atmosphere that enveloped him, when he suddenly heard a twig snap on the ground behind him, and being as paranoid as he was, he spun around on the spot, Kunai in hand and attacked, sliding the blade clean into the left side of his assailant, between the third and fourth ribs.

In that split second he realized what he just did as Sakura screamed out in pain. Sakura instantly dropped to her knees and Naruto dropped down with her and laid her back "Oh god, Sakura! I'm Sorry!"

Sakura looked at him with pained eyes and coughed up a bit of blood, which streamed down the side of her face "I should have announced my presence" she gasped out between bloody coughs.

Naruto was frantic, they were at least a fifteen minute run from the camp, and he had no medical knowledge whatsoever. "Every thing's gonna be alright, every thing's gonna be alright" he repeated over and over. If only he could believe those words, he knew exactly where his Kunai struck, she wouldn't last more than another minute or two.

Sakura looked into Naruto's eyes, his frantic, scarred blue eyes and couldn't stop a tear from escaping her own eye and sliding down her cheek "Naruto, I'm sorry I was never nicer to you. I'm sorry I made you go after Sasuke, I'm sorry for everything" She said, her voice slowly growing weaker as she spoke, her face growing paler as more of her blood spilled out of the wound in her side.

Naruto, no longer caring about anything else wrapped his arms around her and pulled her up into a hug, and consequently smeared the blood from her cheek across his own, not that he cared "Sakura, I'm sorry, please don't go, I can't lose you, I...I love you"

Sakura heard what he said, she always thought he had a crush, not love, but it was to late now, she could feel herself growing colder and weaker by the second.

Naruto lowered her back down a bit and cradled her in his lap, she smiled weakly and reached out with a shaky right hand and brushed his cheek, and chuckled feebly "I never knew they were real, I always thought they were birthmarks..." her voice was no more than a whisper by this point, and trailed off into silence at the end as her arm lowered back down and fell limply by her side. As her jade colored eyes lost all focus and stared straight at Naruto with a lifeless gaze.

Naruto stared at her for a second in disbelief, tears welling in his eyes, and slowly beginning to fall. He reached up slowly, and closed her eyes for the last time ever, and promptly began to break down.

Naruto sat there in the forest, cradling Sakura's lifeless body, crying silent tears for over and hour before Kakashi finally came looking for them, and eventually stumbling upon that very scene, of Naruto hunched over Sakura's bloody body, tears streaming from his eyes.

Kakashi instantly spotted the Kunai that was lodged firmly between her ribs, and her closed eyes and gasped "What happened!?" he yelled in surprise.

Naruto looked up from Sakura to Kakashi, with his blood and tear stained face "I...I...killed her Kakashi..." he said, so quietly Kakashi could barely hear it. "I didn't mean to, she just snuck up on me, and..." he trailed off, not wanting to relive the events again.

Kakashi sighed deeply, he let yet another of his students down, he bent down and placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder "Come on let's go back to Konoha, I'll carry her" he made to move for Sakura but Naruto shook his hand off and pushed him away "No! I did it, I'll take care of her"

Naruto then bent down and removed the Kunai from Sakura's ribs, with a sick 'squelch' and gingerly lifted her limp form off the ground, tears streaming from his eyes the whole time, and he and Kakashi then headed back to Konoha, fortunately Kakashi had broken down their campsite before looking for them and nothing was needed to be done.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Naruto and Kakashi made their way back to Konoha in complete silence, Kakashi had no way to talk to Naruto, he had no clue how he was feeling, not that Naruto would have listened at this point anyway.

They made it back to Konoha by the next morning, Naruto refused to stop for the night and Kakashi had no choice but to follow him.

They went straight to the Hokage tower, avoiding all populated streets and Shinobi travel routes, and they got to the tower without encountering anyone.

Kakashi knocked on Tsunade's door and walked in first, with Naruto behind him. As Kakashi walked in the door Tsunade raised an eyebrow "Back so soon?" then Naruto walked in, Sakura in his arms. Tsunade paled and ran forward. "Oh Kami, what happened to her? It was supposed to be a simple C-rank!"

Naruto looked down, not willing to look Tsunade in the eye "I did it...I killed her" he said quietly.

Tsunade took Sakura from his arms and checked her for vitals, not that there was a chance in hell, but she had to check. Tsunade looked at Sakura, she had the faintest of smiles still on her face, she died smiling... "Naruto, tell me exactly what happened"

Naruto shuddered slightly at the memory "She snuck up on me, I didn't know it was her, it's my fault..."


End file.
